Thanks for the background info, Canie! We have a number of things in common - in addition to an interest in geology/seismology. I, too, had an early start in computers. I won second prize in my junior high science fair, back in the early '60's, with a project where I constructed very rudimentary digital and analog computers, and compared them. But I never pursued the technology to the extent you have. And, I'm rather a cat-fancier, too, having always had at least one. They tend to be too fat for show material, though . . .

And, I agree that this is a "venue for education," too. In fact, due to the presence of knowledgeable members here, and a relative scarcity of abusive or otherwise distracting posts, I think it may well be the very best of its type for that purpose. It is interesting watching the flux of ideas and personalities, and even the occasional minor spat!

I tend to agree that neural networks might be one of a very few rays of hope toward a rather bleak outlook for prediction. They have an interesting small degree of success in stock market investing, apparently outdoing other methods, and some proprietary programs have provided a slight edge in prediction in that rather analogous field.

Mike Williams
Arroyo Grande, CA USA